Council agrees to demolish eight Brighton tower blocks
Structural surveys last year found the buildings no longer met current safety standards for withstanding a collapse in the case of an explosion or large fire.
The council looked at strengthening and refurbishing the buildings but research found these methods would only guarantee their safety for 20 years.Ms Williams said attention now turns to helping residents find new accommodation and that meetings would soon be held to ensure the new designs reflect their "needs, voices and visions"."We recognise that these buildings have happy memories, in some cases for three generations of families," she said."This is why it was important for us to explore all the options in detail, including strengthening and refurbishing the blocks."We will now begin working hand-in-hand with residents on every step of the next part of the journey."Ms Williams said no one would have to leave their property immediately and that the council would do everything it could to ensure those who want to stay in the area can do so.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Fifty water voles bred in Kent are released in Surrey
A colony of 50 water voles has been released into the wild in Surrey, where the species has been locally extinct for 20 years. The voles, an endangered species, were bred in captivity at the Wildwood Trust in Kent, which specialises in breeding the mammals. They were released into the Chamber Mead wetlands in Epsom, created over the past two years to filter sewage pollution and other run-off out of a local stream before it enters the Hogsmill Davies, chief executive of the South East Rivers Trust, which led the project, said: "Putting the water voles back really is the cherry on the icing on the cake." She added: "We've had to bake that cake and that's taken many many many years so we're just so excited to be here and see the water voles going into their new habitat." Water voles were once widespread across the UK, inhabiting streams, rivers, canals, and wetlands. However, their numbers have declined dramatically since the 1970s due to habitat loss and predation by the American mink. Mink were brought to the UK in the last century for fur farming, but those that escaped and others that were deliberately released by animal rights activists established themselves in the wild. Now there are projects underway to bring water voles back and control the mink. Paul Whitfield, chief executive of Wildwood Trust, said: "Water vole captive breeding and reintroduction projects are incredibly important for the species."This is a species that has declined by 90%. We're really losing these animals. They're endangered." He added: "They don't travel very far so it's really essential that when we find good habitat we are able to put the water voles back to establish a population." It is hoped the released voles will establish themselves in the newly created wetlands, which catch polluted water flowing down Green Lanes Stream. Plants will act as a filter before the water enters the Hogsmill River. Chief executive of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, Jackie King, said the area was a "model for successful habitat restoration".
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
United Airlines plane makes 'emergency landing' at Heathrow amid reports of smoke in the cabin
A United Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport folloing reports of smoke in the cabin. Emergency services rushed to the United Airlines flight UA949 after it landed back at the airport and reportedly stopped the aircraft on the taxiway. The plane had been due to fly to San Francisco and was over Milton Keynes when it was forced to make an emergency landing. It was reported that the plane stopped climbing at around 15,000 feet after leaving Heathrow Airport at around 2pm today. The Boeing 777-200 aircraft then made a U-turn to make an emergency landing back at the airport, where it was escorted to the gate by three fire engines. The return London was due to a technical fault, AirLive reported. Heathrow Airport confirmed the plane landed safely and there was no wider impact on operations. United Airlines has been contacted for comment. Jerry Dyer from Big Jet TV, who was filming at Heathrow when the plane returned back to the airport, told Metro that there was no smoke when the place landed 'safely.' The steps were taken to the aircraft shortly after it landed to allow passengers to leave the plane He said the plane had used a general emergency code, which could be anything from 'minor technical issues to a problem with a passengers like a health issue.' Jerry praised the emergency services, the plane crew and Heathrow for their response, saying the fire engines and ambulances were already on the tarmac as a precaution.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Harvington Hall priest hole challenge causes panic attack
The manager of an Elizabethan manor house in Worcestershire, who spent 48 hours in one of its priest holes, said he suffered a panic attack when he finally emerged. Phil Downing had challenged himself to spend two days in the small hiding space at Harvington Hall to raise money for the building, and successfully completed the task at 18:30 BST on Tuesday. "I had a bit of a panic attack when I came out. I really wasn't okay and I wasn't expecting to have a panic attack," he said. "I was expecting to be okay but it's the shock of seeing everyone's faces, the fresh air hitting you - it really does shock you." Priest holes were created in houses to hide Catholic priests through times of religious persecution during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and James Hall has seven of them in total, including a swinging beam hide and bread oven his experience, Mr Downing said: "It's extremely difficult. I only had one apple while I was in there and a few slices of bread."The thing is, it's so dark in there and it's so dirty you don't actually want to eat anything, you just want to drink." Mr Downing said he had not expected it to be "so hot" despite only being dressed in a night shirt. He added: "There's no natural light whatsoever. "There's a viewing window which we black out, the light bulbs are taken out and the beam, it isn't flush to the wall, but what we do is put a black cloth material all the way around it so it completely seals it in. "It's completely pitch black."Detailing his health after the challenge, Mr Downing said he was suffering from a sore shoulder and arm, as well as a "seriously bruised" coccyx bone. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
